Jade's College Fund

My Journey
 
My journey to higher education began when I was just 17 years old, when I became an emancipated minor while still in high school.  Despite experiencing periods of unstable housing, I stayed in school and graduated while living on my own.  When the opportunity arose, I enrolled at Ivy Tech, and spent four years working fulltime and going to school part time.  Last spring I graduate with an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts.

Even as I was working to support myself, pay tuition (I graduated with no student debt) I continued to pursue my passion from high school, acting and theatre.  While in high school I appeared in my first community theater productions, and immediately after acted in independent films, and appeared in a production at Theater on the Square. 

I’ve also been singing with an Americana band, and performed in music videos and live for five years to raise money for Playing For Change Foundation, donating proceeds to children’s music education programs.   

As the older sister of a special needs child, I have always aspired to work with youth and adults with cognitive disabilities, and am still working toward that goal.  This year I was honored to have been admitted to one of the state’s finest colleges, Butler University, where I am now pursuing dual degrees in Theatre and Psychology, with the aim of one day translating the arts into programs for special needs students. I am so excited to be at Butler, but my continued studies there are threatened because of finances.

It has been a dream to be studying at Butler, but it is extremely expensive and, despite receiving scholarships, I have had to borrow thousands of dollars.  I am still in need of thousands more, or I will be unable to continue my studies.  As a self-supporting student I am still working while taking a full course load, and between that and my work schedule, I’m swamped and have no way to make up the difference for tuition.

This Go Fund Me is my last hope to continue at Butler, my last hope to return in January.  At this time I’m just four semesters from graduating, and the amount of money to insure I can finish school is less than most spend on a car.  Still, it is almost insurmountable for me when my job barely covers living expenses.  Here’s where I stand to date:

I need $2500 immediately to finish paying this semester’s tuition and register for January.

I will need an additional $4100 to fund the next two semesters.

 My fundraising goal to complete college totals $6600

I have come this far on my own, but it isn’t enough, and am humbly asking for help to reach my goals, to graduate college and begin making a difference in the world.  Please accept my gratitude now and always for any help you can offer me this semester and in the months to come.  With your help I’ll be on track to graduate in the Spring of 2019, exactly ten years after leaving high school.  Thank you so much for your support.